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As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20, so I won't second guess what happened leading up to the death of our US Ambassador and 3 other Americans in a Sept 11th attack on our embassy in Benghazi, Libya.
I won't second guess, first guess,or third guess because nobody has to guess at the events leading up to this attack and murder. All of those events were readily available to anyone reading the news or their daily security briefings. All it would have taken to avoid this tragedy was for someone in a position of power to show a little foresight and leadership.
Yes, someone in the White House could have and should have shown leadership and stopped this dangerous situation from turning tragic. What kind of leader wouldn't recognize the danger, or if they did recognize the danger, what kind of leader doesn't act on that danger? What kind of leader wouldn't recognize a 9/11 anniversary as a potentially dangerous situation for Americans living in Muslim nations and especially Muslim nations that recently went through a violent revolution.
My answer is the kind of leader we have in President Obama, who refers to this tragic event, with diminished concern, as a "bump in the road." President Obama is the kind of leader who apparently either doesn't recognize the true danger, doesn't want to recognize the true danger, or is simply incapable of leading Americans safely through these dangers.
As you read through this tidbit list of events leading up to the 9/11/12 attack on our Benghazi Embassy, ask yourself at what point would you increase US security beyond the two men assigned to protect two embassy personnel? When would you decide that this is a dangerous situation warranting additional security?
February 2011 – beginning of Libyan revolution against Qaddafi regime.
On February 16, 2011 Libyan protesters clashed with police in an anti-government demonstration inspired by the uprisings that brought down the rulers of Libya's neighbors, Egypt and Tunisia. Opposition activists, organizing through social media, rallied against the country's long-time leader, Moammar Gadhafi, in the country's second-biggest city, Benghazi.
Mid-March 2011 – UN resolution supporting Libyan Rebels
Shortly before midnight, the streets of Libya's de facto rebel capital, Benghazi, were quiet, nearly deserted.
A few minutes after midnight, tracer bullets and celebratory machine-gun fire were racing into the air from every direction and residents piled into their cars for a massive street party.
In between, the United Nations Security Council voted by 10-0 to not only impose a no-fly zone over eastern Libya but to allow for "all necessary measures" short of an occupation to protect the country's civilians from Col. Muammar Qaddafi, the dictator who's ruled Libya for nearly 42 years.
Late March 2011 – President Obama offers special support for Libyan Rebels
(Reuters) – President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing covert U.S. government support for rebel forces seeking to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, government officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
October 2011 – End of Qaddafi regime
Five days after he was sodomized, beaten, and shot in the head, former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi was finally laid to rest at a "secret location" in the Libyan desert, according to the NTC, the transitional government in Libya. And not a moment too soon. Qaddafi's body has been on display in a meat cooler in Misrata since Thursday
November 2011 – Transitional Government established in Libya.
TRIPOLI, Libya – Libya's transitional leaders swore on a Quran to uphold the ideals of the revolution that toppled Muammar Qaddafi as they took their oaths of office Thursday, another key step in the country's hoped-for march toward democracy.
January 2012 – President Obama appoints Christopher Stevens as US Ambassador to Libya
President Barack Obama on Monday night announced his intent to nominate career Senior Foreign Service member John Christopher Stevens as US ambassador to Libya.
March 2012 – Attitude check
(CBS News) Armed vandals attacked and smashed the headstones of Allied and Italian service members laid to rest in a World War II cemetery in Benghazi and then posted video of their desecration online.
May 2012 – Attack on International Red Cross in Benghazi
BENGHAZI (Reuters) – A rocket-propelled grenade hit the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Libya's eastern city of Benghazi overnight, leaving a small hole in the side of the building but causing no casualties, an ICRC spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
Benghazi has suffered a series of small attacks since the beginning of the year that have raised concerns over the ruling National Transitional Council's (NTC) ability to impose its authority and ensure security after last year's rebellion ended Muammar Gaddafi's 40-year rule.
June 2012 – US embassy in Benghazi, Libya. US officials ask Libyan government for increased security.
A bomb went off outside the US embassy offices in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi Tuesday night, causing minor damage to its main gate.
A US embassy official in Tripoli told BBC that no one was injured in the attack, by unknown assailants.
The US official deplored the attack and asked the Libyan government to increase security around US facilities.
Washington had confirmed a few hours before the attack that a U.S.-operated drone had killed Abu Yahya al-Libi, a Libyan-born cleric and senior al Qaeda operative, in Pakistan.
The U.S. State Department said it had asked Libyan authorities to increase security around U.S. facilities.
"We deplore the attack on our diplomatic mission in Benghazi," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a news briefing.
Toner said a local guard reported that an attack was underway against one of the Benghazi compound's perimeter walls and warned diplomatic staff to take cover.
The bombing will revive concerns about the lack of security in Libya, where last year Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in an uprising supported by NATO air power.
July 2012 – Libyan elections
Despite violence that left at least several dead, numerous gun battles, allegations of voter fraud, dozens of polling places unable to operate, mass protests, militias running wild, and whole regions still in chaos, Western governments and the United Nations — largely responsible for the recent "regime change" that killed dictator Moammar Gadhafi and thousands of innocent civilians — celebrated political elections in Libya on Saturday, July 7 as a success. Meanwhile, multiple armed factions are still threatening to unleash full-blown civil war amid ongoing battles all across the chaos-stricken nation.
August 27th – State Dept. issues Travel Warning citing potential for political assassinations among the reasons.
Travel Warning U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
August 27, 2012
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all but essential travel to Libya. The incidence of violent crime, especially carjacking and robbery, has become a serious problem. In addition, political violence in the form of assassinations and vehicle bombs has increased in both Benghazi and Tripoli.
September 4th – Libyan news notes increased security fears over increase in Islamist groups.
Small-scale crimes, such as carjacking, robberies, and petty theft, and more serious acts of violence such as car bombings and political assassinations, are posing an increasing challenge to the Libyan authorities. There are also increased security fears over apparent increase in Islamists groups and Qadhafi regime loyalists has increased security concerns across Libya, particularly in Tripoli and Benghazi.
September 5th – President Obama receives final daily briefing before 9/11 anniversary
According to the White House schedule President Obama receives last daily briefing Wednesday September 5th with no more daily briefings in the five more days leading up to 9/11 anniversary.
September 10th Early – Inadequate security at US Embassy
Benghazi, awash in guns, has recently witnessed a string of assassinations as well as attacks on international missions, including a bomb said to be planted by another Islamist group that exploded near the United States mission there as recently as June. But a Libyan politician who had breakfast with Mr. Stevens at the mission the morning before he was killed described security, mainly four video cameras and as few as four Libyan guards, as sorely inadequate for an American ambassador in such a tumultuous environment.
September 10th Late – Video posted calling for attacks on Americans
In a video posted late Monday on militant websites, al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahri described his late lieutenant Abu Yahya al-Libi as a "lion of jihad and knowledge."
The killing of al-Libi, who was Libyan by birth, was the biggest setback to al-Qaida since the death of Osama bin Laden.
Al-Zawahri also urged Libyans — al-Libi was born in the north African country — to attack Americans to avenge the late militant's death, saying his "blood is calling, urging and inciting you to fight and kill the Crusaders."
September 11th – US Embassy in Benghazi still operating in "an interim facility" with a reduced level of security compared to formal embassies in permanent facilities.
A senior administration official Wednesday called the Benghazi consulate "an interim facility," which the State Department began using "before the fall of Qadhafi." It was staffed Tuesday by Libyan and State Department security officers. The consulate came under fire from heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades at about 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday. By the time the attack ended several hours later, four Americans were dead and three others had been injured.
The Benghazi consulate had "lock-and-key" security, not the same level of defenses as a formal embassy, an intelligence source told POLITICO. That means it had no bulletproof glass, reinforced doors or other features common to embassies. The intelligence source contrasted it with the American embassy in Cairo, Egypt – "a permanent facility, which is a lot easier to defend." The Cairo embassy also was attacked Tuesday.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81134.html#ixzz27sFnS41w
September 11th – US Embassy in Benghazi attacked killing four Americans
The US ambassador to Libya and three other American staffers died on Tuesday night in an attack on the US consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi, US officials have said.
An armed mob attacked and set fire to the consulate building during a protest against an amateur film deemed offensive to Islam's prophet, Muhammad, after similar protests in Egypt's capital.
The two incidents came on the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda attacks in the US.
The US government confirmed that Ambassador Chris Stevens and information technology officer Sean Smith, in addition to two unnamed personnel, died in the attack. Libyan security source told Al Jazeera that Stevens died from smoke inhalation.
September 12th – News of the rape and murder of Ambassador Stevens surfaces
Sources said that "the U.S. ambassador to Libya was raped sexually before killing by gunmen who stormed the embassy building in Benghazi last night to protest against the film is offensive to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)," The sources said that "Ambassador was killed and representation of his body in a manner similar to what happened with Gaddafi ahead kill him. " has reported: kill the U.S. ambassador in Libya Christopher Stevens and three Americans in an attack on Tuesday evening 09/11/2012 the U.S. consulate in Benghazi
Google Translation of www.tayyar.org
September 13th – President Obama sends in the Marines…to Tripoli…because there are no Americans alive in Benghazi.
President Obama condemned the killings, promised to bring the assailants to justice and ordered tighter security at all American diplomatic installations. The administration also sent 50 Marines to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, to help with security at the American Embassy there, ordered all nonemergency personnel to leave Libya and warned Americans not to travel there.
Obama administration officials and regional officials scrambled to sort out conflicting reports about the attack and the motivation of the attackers. A senior Obama administration officials told reporters during a conference call that "it was clearly a complex attack," but offered no details.
September 15th – US Embassy attack is attributed to al Qaeda
Benghazi, Libya – The attack on the US consulate in Benghazi that killed four Americans and ten Libyans was the work of "experienced masterminds" that had been planned well in advance, the Libyan president says.
"I think this was al-Qaeda," President Mohamed al-Magarief told Al Jazeera on Friday, in his first interview with foreign media since the violence three days earlier.
"If you take into account the weapons used like RPGs and other heavy weapons, it proves that it was pre-planned," he said. "It's a dirty act of revenge that has nothing to do with religion."
His comments to Al Jazeera marked the first time his government has openly attributed acts of violence to religious extremists.
So at what point did you decide to increase US security? Was it when we first located US Citizens in the Embassy? Was it after the spring bombing at the embassy? Was it in the weeks leading up to the 9/11 anniversary? Was it Sept 10th after the release of a video calling for death to Americans? Or did you wait to send in the Marines, like President Obama, until after our ambassador was raped and then killed with the the other three Americans?
When I heard about the attacks on our embassy in Libya I was dumfounded to hear that all four Americans at the embassy had died. I was not dumfounded that they had died in the attack, I was dumfounded that the casualty list was just four Americans dead, rather than something like 20 Marines wounded and 4 Americans dead. I wondered, especially on 9/11, why there was no US security for the four Americans?
It was heartbreaking to hear that they were dead, it was angering to hear the way they were killed and I was ashamed that our leaders didn't see fit to protect them from such a clear an present danger. How could President Obama apologize to the world for the amateur movie that didn't cause this violence, yet not apologize to Ambassador Steven's family for failing to protect a person he appointed to his dangerous position, I don't think President Obama is at fault causing the violence, but he is at fault for not providing the leadership necessary to protect these Americans. One more reason President Obama is not fit for the office he holds.


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Please go to our front page and register on the website. It will ask for your email and user name.
1) Your email is accurate - this is how we contact you about your application.
2) That your user name is your MAIN CHARACTER name in game.
After you have registered click on "Apply" on the menu bar above.
PM Phaidra or any officer & advisor in the guild if you have questions.
Good Luck!

subset: commoncrawl


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This photograph is from John's latest portfolio of work and involved him experimenting with out or the ordinary print surfaces, he was stunned at how interesting his images looked when printed on aluminium.
They take on an added luminescence, darker colours appear richer and more vibrant, whilst lighter colours inherit the more subtle properties of the metal's surface. Overall this process creates a somewhat three-dimensional effect which is particularly effective when viewed in natural light.
Every time John goes wandering around old scrap yards, it seems like every car there has a story to tell. They rest their with all their original design and style, all talking of times past.
Small pieces of perfection remain amid the decay and salvaging, and sometimes the process of rust and time creates new and beautiful colours and shapes that were only created when the vehicle was abandoned. Some of them even have the keys in the ignition.
John love's trying to find and capture the stories that these cars have to tell.
"Sitting abandoned in a field, and now almost fused into it's surroundings of grass and wood, as though grown organically from a scrap of metal". John Drennan.
This is an original photographic artwork and will be supplied with a certificate of authenticity signed and numbered by the artist John Drennan.
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Black 60 Inch TV Stand - Alexandria
Crosley Brands Black 60 Inch TV Stand - Alexandria
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"Alexandria"Collection Black 60 Inch TV Stand Internet Only
Constructed of solid hardwood and wood veneers, this cabinet is designed for longevity. The rich, hand rubbed, multi-step black finish is perfect for blending with the family of furniture that is already part of your home. Brushed Nickel hardware adds a touch of style to this already beautiful cabinet. There is plenty of storage space and wire management behind the beautiful raised panel doors to hide electronic components, gaming consoles, DVDs, and other items that you would prefer to be out of sight. The 59 3/4" width means that this cabinet is perfect for most 60" TV's. This cabinet is not just for the TV room. The 36" height makes for great TV viewing in the bedroom. Behind the four doors, you will find adjustable shelves and lots of storage space for things other than electronics. Style, function, and quality make this cabinet a wise choice for your home furnishings needs, and is sure to be a part of your home for years to come.
Available for Online Purchase Only. Assembly required. Not eligible for Blue Rewards Free Delivery.
- Accomodates most 60" TV's
- Solid Hardwood & Veneer Construction
- Hand Rubbed, Multi-Step Finish
- Beautiful Raised Panel Doors
- Brushed Nickel Hardware
- Five Adjustable Shelves
- Wire Management
- Adjustable Levelers in Legs
- Solid Hardwood & Veneers
|Alexandria Black
|59.75"W x 18"D x 34"H
|Shipping Weight
|140 lbs.
|Closed Storage Area
|31.125" W x 14.75" D x 22.625" H
|Open Storage Area
|31.125" W x 14.75" D x 6.125" H
|Side Storage Area
|12" W x 14.75" D x 29.25" H
|Weight Capacity
|500 lbs


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Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf lrf pdb txt html
William Mangieri is a karaoke junkie, former theater student, and recovered wargamer who spends as much time wondering "what if?" as "why not?". He writes from Texas, where he and his family live at the mercy of the ghost of a nine-pound westie.


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CORONAVIRUS: Latest updates here. Our 100% buyer guarantee applies to future purchases too!
CORONAVIRUS: Latest updates here. Our 100% buyer guarantee applies to future purchases too!
This Boston-formed country band has been winning over music fans with their diverse style since winning the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2006 and self-financing the recording of their debut album 'In This Episode'. With their key influences in classic pop and swing era jazz, they often cite The Beatles as their main inspiration.
Their fifth studio album Side Pony took a slight turn from the old era, with more influence on soul and R'n'B was received favorably by critics and hit the top spots on Billboard's Rock Albums, Folk Albums and Alternative Albums chart, a feat they are hoping to repeat with the upcoming Free Yourself Up, to be released in May 2018.
Performance date: 20 December 2020
Image attribution: Feast of Music Used under Creative Commons License
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NBC has succombed to pressure and is going to stream the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremonies live via its website NBCOlympics.com. It will will also be streaming via its NBC Olympics Live Extra app. Live streaming coverage for the closing ceremonies will begin at 4PM EST. NBC does still plan to show its tape-delayed coverage for its regular viewers. Also, keep in mind that the live streaming website and app require you to verify that you are a satellite, cable, or telco customer.
NBC has taken a beating for its delayed coverage of the London Olympics. So bad in fact, it even garnered its own hashtag "#nbcfail" on Twitter. In an age of instant media, NBC chose to take the old fashioned tape-delay route for the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and they have paid dearly for it in the arena of public opinion. It appears that there was some fear on the part of NBC execs that the live streaming coverage would somehow interfere with the ratings of its top shows. Quite the opposite has happened, however. The description regarding this year's Olympics ratings usually has "unprecedented" somewhere in the sentence.
This year's closing ceremonies promises to be an exciting one. According to the London 2012 website, "'We want it to be the best after-show party there has ever been." Kim Gavin, who has masterminded spectacular stage shows for acts including Take That in the past, explains its focus: 'It is about British creativity in the arts. There is a hell of a lot of talent and music and a hell of a lot of show in the show.' Let's hope it lives up to all the hype!


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Tour Style Blogger Frances Kwon's Apartment
Name: Frances Kwon
Age: 25
Hometown: Saddle River, NJ
Current City: New York
Alma Mater: Parsons School of Design
Major: Photography
New York blogger Frances Kwon has an affinity for contrasts. Her apartment mirrors the title of her personal style blog, Pink Horrorshow: she has an animal skeleton perched close to a Chanel light, a skateboard deck next to a vintage gold mirror, and dinosaur sculptures on top of her fashion photography books. By making items that seem a bit dark and twisted seem playful, Frances has created a space that is feminine but not prissy. Read on to get a glimpse inside her eclectic apartment.


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SANFORD — With the announcement of a reduction in the subsidy that the Sanford School Department will receive from the state, School Business Administrator Scott Wyman recently outlined how the department will make up for the loss of revenue.
Sanford will receive $160,468 less from the state than was anticipated for the current school budget, which runs through the end of June.
In November, Wyman announced a freeze on spending — except critical program expenses — in anticipation of the shortfall.
To compensate for the major portion of the budget shortfall, however, the school will leave four vacant positions unfilled for the rest of the year. The positions include a custodian, a teacher who decided to retire early, an IT (information technology) network administrator and a school psychologist. Those cuts result in a savings of $103,468, he said.
Wyman said the teacher's position will be filled by a long-term substitute for the remainder of the year and an intern psychologist, working with another psychologist, will fill the vacant psychologist position.
Wyman said the school food service budget has been reduced by $12,000, which will be partially made up by a small balance from last year's budget. He said another $45,000 will be taken from the maintenance budget by cutting back on planned capital projects and "working with materials we have as best we can until the end of June."
He said the school department has worked to find small savings throughout the budget in order to minimize the impact the shortfall will have on classrooms.


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has made an impression on the New York skyline since its debut in 1931, but it also has also been at the center of a succession of battles for control.
The latest is playing out in court now, and could decide ownership of the 102-story tower.
On one side are New York real estate barons Peter L. Malkin and his son, Anthony E. Malkin. They are hoping to sell shares to the public in the building and 18 others valued at $5.2 billion.
The offering would value the Malkin family's stake at an estimated $730 million and install Anthony Malkin as chairman of a major new company, Empire State Realty Trust.
But an eclectic group of dissenters led by California businessman Richard Edelman and Andrew S. Penson oppose the deal. They argue it could harm the value of the investors' shares by exposing them to tax liabilities and stock market vagaries.
For more than a year, the Malkins have painstakingly persuaded 75 percent of the building's roughly 3,000 stakeholders to vote in favor of going public. But they need 80 percent.
The vote has turned ugly, too, and the hostility has shocked even longtime New York real estate observers.
"I'm amazed at the level of enmity," said Barry Vinocur, the editor of REIT Zone Publications. "I can't recall ever seeing anything like it."
The Malkins argue that the new company would provide a modern corporate structure and allow investors to buy and sell stakes more easily.
In the battle, the Malkins have accused Edelman and his followers of lying and spreading misinformation. Opposing investors have rallied opponents through a website.
In the beginning
The current dispute's foundation was laid in 1961, when Harry B. Helmsley -- the former owner of the Helmsley Sandcastle hotel on Lido Key -- and his partner, Lawrence A. Wien, bought control of the building. Peter Malkin, who was also involved, is Wien's son-in-law and Anthony Malkin is Wien's grandson.
To help finance the deal, the group sold 3,300 units at $10,000 a unit.
Edelman's grandfather, Max Edelman, was an escalator salesman in Brooklyn who routinely saved half his earnings. He bought 10 shares.
In 2011, the Helmsley estate decided to sell its stake, valued at around $1 billion.
The Malkins, in response, put together plans to form a real estate investment trust that would raise about $1 billion and buy Helmsley out.
But the Malkins' plan rankled some stakeholders.
Critics argued that the Empire State Building was far more valuable than the others tossed in. The Malkins' own projections show the Empire State Building's net operating income is expected to more than double by 2015.
"We know that it's going to be fabulously profitable in the coming years, according to their own documents," Edelman said. "Why should we sell it now?"
Others say the only clear winners from the offering as proposed will be the Malkins.
"It's obviously a good deal for the Malkins and the Helmsley estate, but that doesn't mean it's a good deal for the investor," said Ken Woolfe, a shareholder.
Anthony Malkin would become chairman of the company, with a $500,000 salary. But even bigger would be his family's stake,worth nearly $730 million.
"For the Malkins, this is a chance of a lifetime," said Andrew Shact, a tax lawyer who holds two shares with his sister and opposes the deal.
Building stakeholders led by Penson filed a lawsuit claiming the vote should be halted because a clause violates state law. That suit is snaking it way through the Manhattan court system now.
The rub is, once the Malkins achieve 80 percent approval, anyone who voted against it has 10 days to switch or they could receive only $100 per share. The offering values the shares at about $323,000 each. Opponents argue state law requires that "fair value" be paid.
For their part, The Malkins dismiss the lawsuit as a "publicity stunt," and contend that the provision prevents the "tyranny of the minority."
Empire State Building's managing family proposed $5.2 billion deal to landmark's hodgepodge of investors


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Life in the Minors - Chapter 6: Coaching Influence
Ellen Emerson White - facebook.com/ellenemersonwhite
WFUV Sports finds out how the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Staten Island Yankees players are influenced by their coaches.
Minor League Baseball: How does it differ from the majors? For the eleventh consecutive year, WFUV goes behind the scenes with the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees In the Short Season Single-A NY-Penn League, it's long bus rides, low pay, and 76 games in 80 days. This is our look at Life in the Minors: How the Other Half Lives.
Steve Simineri, Brooklyn Cyclones Beat Reporter
Making it to the big leagues is no easy task and a long process. These players work hard year after year to improve their game hoping to make it to the big show. Throughout all these young ballplayer's careers they have had many coaches, from little league to right now in Brooklyn. All of these coaches play a huge role in not only the play of these players but also in shaping them as young men.
Brooklyn manager Rich Donnelly has been coaching baseball for over 25 years and is a baseball lifer. He spent 14 years working on Jim Leyland's staff in the bigs and is a fountain of baseball knowledge. Any tips he can give to these young players shouldn't be taken lightly. Along with former Cy young winner, pitching coach Frank Viola, these young players have some reliable coaches to help refine and improve their game.
These coaches are here to show these guys the ropes and give them some useful tips along the way. They have seen what it takes to get it done in the big leagues and any knowledge they can instill in these players only heightens their chances to make it to the big leagues.
Sean Mercer, Staten Island Yankees Beat Reporter
In the Short Season Single-A NY-Penn League, most of the players are fresh out of college or high school and thus have little to no veterans to look to for help as young players in the majors do. Thus, the role of the coaches becomes much larger as they are not just managing these players to win they have to help teach these guys the nuances of the game that you only learn with experience.
All of the players I spoke to had high praise for their coaches. Pitcher Will Oliver spoke to the fact that having a young pitching coach who has had a good amount of success in baseball is very helpful.
Pitcher Robbie Pinder also had high praise for pitching coach Danny Borrell saying that he thought that having a coach who was not too far removed from the game and not too much older than the players helped because it makes him very relatable.
The common theme in talking to all these players was that they all had high opinions of their coaches and felt they truly help them to be better players. Good coaching in the minors can be a huge help in these players achieving their goal to eventually be playing in the big ballpark in the Bronx.


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Joshua Parden, July 14th , 2020.
Use your living room to make a design statement. If you're drawn to clean, modern lines, use minimal furnishings and lighting. If you have a limited budget, make a statement with one item such as an unusual cocktail table. Olivia Rassow of Elle Decor says the cocktail table can be the most important piece in the living room. For the ultimate in natural lighting, consider replacing your old, outdated and dingy windows with fresh replacement windows. Large picture windows compliment living areas wonderfully and shaped windows can add a stunning architectural focal point to your home.
Another configuration for seating in view of the focal point uses symmetry, such as with two sets of comfortable chairs or sofas at the walls to the left and right of the wall with the television. Side tables or a central coffee table should rest in between. Depending on your budget and the size of your space, your design options may include built-in features like window seats or bookcases on either side of your focal point. But even those with minimal budgets can use good arrangement and placement of furnishings to create a stylish living room
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German architect roger christ designed a home that's simplified by an elegance of contemporary style. The House R is a four-storey home where each floor is connected by an open stairway and an elevator. Access to this home is attainable through a forecourt and a ramp.
visit the site : gessato


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Reader Response to Hard, Abrasion-Resistant Coating
A reader responds to a previous Painting Clinic question about hard, abrasion-resistant coatings, and suggests three technologies.
Q. M.W.'s question in the September edition of Painting Clinic about "Hard, Abrasion-Resistant Coatings" doesn't identify the plastic substrate that influences the type of coating selected. It also doesn't state whether it was pigmented or clear.
For maximum hardness and abrasion resistance, I would select a molded-in color matched to the cool gray Pantone color, utilizing a polycarbonate substrate so that baking could be done if the technology selected required it. A clear coat could then be applied.
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Three technologies come to mind:
1. UV-curable coatings such as those used on polycarbonate automotive headlight lenses would work. This would require infrared flash and UV lamps to cure. Other lower-temperature and lower-cost substrates besides polycarbonate could be used, too.
2. A polysiloxane coating such as those used on eyeglasses, ski goggles and safety shields would work, but would require curing temperatures of around 230°F, which would necessitate the use of a polycarbonate substrate.
3. A polyurethane coating could be either clear or pigmented. A pigmented coating would, of course, eliminate the need to color match the substrate, and a lower-heat-resistant substrate could also be used. Maximum cure, even with baking, is achieved after two weeks. Perhaps a basecoat and clearcoat combination could do the job with this type technology.
I would opt for a UV-curable coating based on a personal bias. —C.S.
A. Thank you for writing to Painting Clinic, C.S. The coatings you suggested are excellent choices. I like UV-curable coatings, too, probably for the same reasons you do, including their ability to be applied and cured on heat-sensitive substrates.
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Phosphate Conversion Coatings
Types of phosphate conversion coatings, how to apply them, and their specific functions.
Conveyors and Paint Systems
Choosing the right conveyor system, coating technology, and ancillary equipment.


text:
Let's eliminate the myths, and emphasize the facts! Join our discussion about nutrition controversies, the health effects of carbohydrates, and the scientific evidence of weight loss and popular fad diets. We'll provide powerful nutrition information from MyPlate, and offer easy tips on how to make your diet healthier.
This is the first in a series of free lectures being presented at the Hope Fox Eccles Health Library at University Hospital.
- What: "The Truth About Carbohydrates"
- Presenter: Kelly Daly-Wolfe, M.S. Nutrition, University of Utah
- When: Thursday, January 26, 2012, 7:00 p.m.
- Where: Hope Fox Eccles Health Library, University Hospital (just off the main lobby), 50 N. Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT.
Questions? Contact Erica Lake, Associate Director, at 801-581-4685, email:
The H.F.E. Health Library is a service of the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library offering "patients and visitors a place to find health information and research assistance in a welcoming and comfortable environment" (from the website). Visits are encouraged!


text:
This is a weekly reminder that the FAQ for this group resides at the website
formatting linkAdditionally, it is posted monthly
to the newsgroup alt.food.wine. Questions or comments about the FAQ are best
posted to the newsgroup itself.
Table of Contents:
1. I have just found a bottle of wine in my parents' cupboard and...
1a. I want to know how much it's worth
1b. I want to know whether it's OK to drink
1c. Will it taste good?
2. I just had an incredible bottle of wine. Where I find some of it to buy?
3. What wineries should I visit (where should I stay? eat?) in...
3a. Napa?
3b. Sonoma?
3c. Mendocino?
3d. Paso Robles?
3e. Amador/El Dorado Counties?
3f. Santa Barbara County?
3g. Oregon?
3h. Washington?
3i. NY Finger Lakes?
3j. Burgundy? [not yet ready]
3k. The Rhone Valley?
3l. The Languedoc? [not yet ready]
3m. Bordeaux? [not yet ready]
3n. Alsace? [not yet ready]
3o. Germany? [not yet ready]
3p. Austria? [not yet ready]
3q. Piemonte? [not yet ready]
3r. Tuscany? [not yet ready]
3s. Australia?
3t. New Zealand?
4. What is the best way to preserve an opened bottle of wine? How long
will it last?
5. What wine should I serve with this food?
6. Does it matter what kind of glass I drink the wine out of?
6a. Are those fancy Riedel glasses worth all that money?
7. What causes red wine headaches? How can I prevent them?
8. What do those abbreviations mean?
9. Do those magnetic thingies really age your wine instantly?
10. I want to buy a bottle of wine to commemorate the birth of a child,
to be opened 18 (21) years from now. What should I get?


text:
IRVING, Texas - NFL officials on the verge of approving a new contract say they are excited to get back to work.
Officials arrived Friday at a Dallas-area hotel to discuss and vote on an eight-year agreement reached with the league late Wednesday. They were meeting Friday night with a vote on the contact expected Saturday morning. Some planned to fly directly after the vote to their assigned cities for Sunday's game.
The deal must be ratified by 51 per cent of the union's 121 members.
The officials were expected to meet the media at 7 p.m. but the news conference was cancelled.
Some said they thought Monday night's Packers-Seahawks game, which ended in chaos after a call in the end zone gave the Seahawks the winning touchdown instead of a Packers interception, provided the final push toward a settlement. Many fans commentators — and players in the league — thought the call was botched.
Monday night's call brought the three-week furor over replacement officials to a fevered pitch.
"It's all history now," head linesman Tom Stabile said. "For us, it was a benefit. It may have been the straw that broke the camel's back."
Line judge Jeff Bergman said he could see the play coming as he watched at home. He noticed that players were starting to take advantage of replacement officials struggling to keep control of the game.
"The last play of the game was something that was going to happen sooner or later," Bergman said. "It gave us and the league an opportunity to get together and hammer out a deal that was going to get hammered out anyway."
Referee Ed Hochuli, who led weekly tests and conference calls for officials to stay sharp during the lockout, declined to say whether the replacements made the right call.
"You really don't want to see that," Hochuli said. "You don't want to see the controversy. You don't want to see teams lose games that they shouldn't have lost, if indeed that's what happened. We're not making a judgment on that."
After three weeks of games marred by mistakes, the regular refs said they were heartened by the support they've received from fans, players and coaches — even if they don't expect it to last very long now that they're back.
"You're not really beloved by the public. You're tolerated. And to see that type of reception that our guys got last night was really heartwarming," said Bergman, who will head to Green Bay for Sunday's game, one week after Packers players ripped the replacements for calling Monday's disputed play a touchdown.
"After the euphoria of the moment wears off, probably sometime early in the second quarter, it'll be back to regular NFL football mode," Bergman said. "Players will be questioning our judgment, our ancestry. Coaches will be screaming at us. And it'll be life as back to normal on Sundays."
One crew returned to work Thursday night. Cheered from the moment they walked onto the field, the men in stripes ran a smooth and efficient game as the NFL's lockout of officials came to an end with the Baltimore Ravens' 23-16 win over the Browns.
"To just be applauded by 50,000 people prior to anything happening, it was something that kind of chokes you up," referee Gene Steratore said. "It was a very special feeling."
AP Sports Writers Joseph White and Rachel Cohen and AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner contributed to this story.
Online: http://bigstory.ap.org/NFL-Pro32 and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL


text:
I keep ncdu installed as a matter of course. It's one of those tools that I wish I could use more often, because what it does is very cool and very useful … just not very frequently.
I suppose disk usage meters in general suffer the same weak point — aside from perhaps a once-a-month file weeding, I don't need them very often. The idea of a disk usage meter isn't innovative either, seeing as you get
du as a free gift in most distros. But what
du lacks in presentation, others make up in style. ncdu was one example, and here's another: gt5.
Depending on your personal preferences, you might like how gt5 tackles the issue — pushing its results into a text browser. After arranging directories by size, it creates an HTML file with internal links to pages that show directory size. You saw this this in the screenshot if you noticed that the page shown by elinks is a local address, and that the paging indicator runs up to 185. Go ahead, click again. 😯
In that way, you could take what gt5 outputs, and rearrange it for use in other ways. Open the same page in Firefox, and you get a similar result: a black page with color-coded links, file and directory sizes, and so forth. So gt5 creates something flexible and usable, beyond just showing you where the chunky files are.
(I should also mention that gt5 by default screens out some of the smallest files, which is why the directory arrangement in gt5 looks a little different from others.)
For a strictly tree-style view, tdu might be interesting to you.
Available from the same site as vtclock, tdu works in tandem with the aforementioned
du command to build the tree you see there. You'll need to pipe du through tdu, in order to get results:
du /home/kmandla | tdu for starters.
tdu has a decent man page and a pair of help pages while it's running too, so getting it to behave how you want shouldn't take too long. For dependencies it needs almost nothing short of ncurses, and the results are more visual than the other two. Rather than just directory-by-directory lists of sizes and files, you move through the tree via keyboard, opening and closing the tree structure in much the same way as many other file access utilities.
If that appeals to you, you can probably better tune
du and tdu to work together and get the results you prefer. Personally I find
du's default file size value to be completely unhelpful, so the
-h flag might be the first place to start. 😐
I don't usually mention graphical tools any more, but it seems worthwhile to point out this one: fsv.
fsv is a little dated, what with the GTK1.2 interface and the rather old-school button images. In that sense, it won't be as taxing on your hardware, even if it will require a little muscle to run. …
A little, in the sense that the 3D animation effects will ask more of your video card than any of the previous three. Clicking a directory shows a zooming effect, and expanding it via the right-click menu causes folders and files to stretch up like towers. Moving between directories on the left makes the view slide gracefully to its new point, a la Hollywood blockbuster special effects … sort of. 🙄
But after that, and aside from looking over the directories and files in your tree, fsv doesn't do much. It has some basic file management abilities, but otherwise it's nothing terrifically functional (I hate to use the word "gimmick" here, because it has some negative connotations. But really …).
So perhaps a talented coder will pick up fsv and give it a proper makeover (Edit: There is an fsv2, by the way), and add some fun(ction) to it. It seems like the basis for an interesting tool, but as it stands it's just backdated and a bit thin. I suppose it would be useful in some sort of big-budget animatronic dinosaur movie though, if the production team decides not to pay for a Windows-based prop in their film. …
P.S.: Images courtesy of Musca and Arch Linux. 😉


text:
Watch Yesterday (2019) : Full Movie Online Free Jack Malik is a struggling singer-songwriter in an English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie. After a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that he's the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles.
|Release Date
|Jun 27, 2019
|Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Music,
|Production Company
|Working Title Films
|Production Countries
|United Kingdom
|Himesh Patel, Lily James, Ed Sheeran, Kate McKinnon, Joel Fry, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Harry Michell, Sophia Di Martino, Sarah Lancashire, Alexander Arnold
|Plot Keywords
|pop singer, the beatles, alternate reality,
Jack MalikHimesh Patel
Ellie AppletonLily James
Ed SheeranEd Sheeran
Debra HammerKate McKinnon
RockyJoel Fry
Sheila MalikMeera Syal
Jed MalikSanjeev Bhaskar
NickHarry Michell
CarolSophia Di Martino
LizSarah Lancashire
GavinAlexander Arnold
TerryKarl Theobald
BrianVincent Franklin
LeoJustin Edwards
LucyEllise Chappell
Head of MarketingLamorne Morris
HilaryCamilla Rutherford
James CordenJames Corden
HazelElizabeth Berrington
NewscasterCristina Dohmen
John (uncredited)Robert Carlyle
HimselfMichael Kiwanuka


text:
Rich: I'll see your Nole and raise you a Juan Monaco.
Here he is on Valentine's Day hanging out at the courts of the Copa Telmex in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while recovering from the ankle injury that took him out of the running at the Movistar Open in Chile.
Bonus round: At this week's Sony Ericsson Open, Juan went with Jesse Levine, Jonathan Erlich, Andy Ram, Flavia Pennetta, Katarina Srebotnik, Tamira Paszek, and Sabine Lisicki to the Miami Seaquarium where they enjoyed an afternoon with dolphins.
(Copa photo via La Nacion; dolphin photo via ATP)


text:
Alex Davalos of Lake Elsinore, California, is no stranger to the Lowrider scene. Through his work with his car club, Showtime, he has seen and done many great things in his Lowriding career. He flourished during the Japanese Lowrider boom in Southern California, making his mark and stabilizing his income in the process. A born Lowrider, Alex told us that he bought this Brougham when the overseas Cadillac market was at its peak; and somehow, this one survived the mass exodus. It ended up being a blessing in disguise, as Alex stored the car away, thus giving it a chance to become the immaculate Lowrider you see before you today.
Since the car was stored for even longer than the two years it took to put it together, the car was in excellent condition when Alex started on it. He was able to jump back into the project, and first on the agenda was to perform a euro conversion, which turned the '84 luxury car into a '90s two-door luxury cruiser. The paint job was a focal point, as the graphics and airbrushing Alex added to the car complemented the graphics that were already in place on the molded Brougham roof. The paint job was a collaborative effort between three artists: Genaro Gobian of Orange Coast in La Habra, who sprayed the body first; Dave Whistle of California Design of Norco, who added the pin stripping; and Jose "Dire" Mercado of Long Beach, who took an airbrushing influence from Alex's family's favorite Disney movie, "Aqua Marine."
This Caddy's classic 4100 was pulled out and replaced with a '89 Camaro engine, which has an Edelbrock cam and carburetor sitting atop a Professional Products chrome intake. The candy painted engine also featured a chrome-plated serpentine system and classic Offenhauser fin valve covers, with a matching air cleaner. The rest of the engine compartment received a dose of chrome and candy cobalt blue, which matched the exterior of the car.
The hydraulics were taken care of by Alex's club buddy, Rick Rock of Low Life Hydraulics, who worked his hydraulic knowledge, style, and design into the build to create a show-worthy setup. The three-pump setup allowed the car to lock up, in order to expose the under carriage's deluxe chrome, paint, and murals. Rick also took credit for the tubing, which was tied into the hydraulic setup. The interior of the car was not too far behind, as the complete interior was re-stitched in blue synthetic leather.
After a two-year build, the Caddy was looking fresh off the assembly line and ready for its debut at our San Bernardino Lowrider show. The car featured original 5.20's mounted on some G-Boys wire wheels. The full on display separated Alex from the competition, as this land boat was ready to sail; fully earning its nickname, "Aqua Marine."
Tech Specs
Aqua Marine
Owner: Alex and Blanca Davalos
Vehicle: 1984 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham
City/State: Lake Elsinore, CA
Club: Showtime C.C.
Paint: Danny D and Bugs tag-teamed the design on the car, and then Felix Designs laid out some pearl fades on the pinstriped and silver-leafed foundation.
Engine: 1989 350 5.7-liter engine with a mild Edelbrock cam and intake.
Interior: They used a 1992 interior to modernize the Cadillac seats which were stitched in blue synthetic leather.
Hydraulics: Two Aluminum Low Life pumps, three monster green dumps, custom hard-lines, powered by eight 31-series.
Wheels: 13×7 G-Boys Wire Wheels.
Tires: Premium Sportway 5.20s.


text:
Home > Health & Beauty > Beauty > Makeup > 60pcs 12mm Extension Flare Individual Fake False Eyelash Eye Lashes Cluster Makeup Tool
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Order Now and your item will be shipped out Monday
Sun2Solar® Supreme Blue Solar Cover :
Reduce your heating costs by using the Supreme blue solar cover to collect solar heat and transmit it into your pool water. The passive solar heating can raise your pool temperature by an average of 5-10 degrees!
This Cover:
All Sun2Solar® Covers:
**Disclaimer** Please note that solar covers may come with 2"-11" of overlap to allow trimming to fit your pool - Trimming will NOT void any warranty. Please see Warranty for more information.
|More Information
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|14' x 28' Rectangular
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text:
New to EMF? Start with this tutorial and learn "What every Eclipse developer should know about EMF". Have a look at overview or a tutorial. Also browser the help system of your Eclipse IDE (Help => Help Contents => EMF Developer Guide) and the EMF Newsgroup Please report broken links and suggest new content.
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text:
Just as the sun shone through the cloudy Bay Area skies Thursday afternoon, the Earthquakes departed for frosty England to play exhibitions against a pair of Premiership sides and one MLS team during a 10-day stay across the pond.
The Quakes expect to play as many as three matches during their trip. The fixtures include West Ham and Tottenham reserves as well as the Colorado Rapids. The dates for these matches have not yet been decided.
Twenty-five players made the trip for San Jose. Trialist Omar Jassey, a Gambian native with ties to several Premiership academies, will not be in England due to complications with his visa. In the meantime, the 17-year-old outside mid will train with an Under-18 club team in Danville, Calif.
Javier Guarino, a Uruguayan trialist, was not extended a contract offer and did not make the trip with the Earthquakes.
After tune-ups against a pair of PDL sides and Cal, an NCAA affiliate, the Earthquakes are anxious to dig their boots into tougher competition. Weather permitting - the forecast projects sub-freezing temperatures and the possibility of snow on Friday - San Jose will have ample opportunity to test itself against quality opponents during the 10-day excursion.
As part of the team's partnership, the Quakes will train at Tottenham's facilities and will have the opportunity to take in a Premiership match between the Spurs and Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, March 13.
The Quakes will return to the U.S. on March 14 and have a pair of exhibitions lined up in the Bay Area before opening the season. San Jose hosts the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, March 17 at San Francisco's Kezar Stadium (7 p.m.) as well as the Portland Timbers on March 20 at Buck Shaw Stadium (7 p.m.). Tickets for both matches are on sale at sjearthquakes.com or by calling (408) 556-7700.
San Jose opens its regular season on March 27 against defending MLS Cup Champion Real Salt Lake at Buck Shaw Stadium (6 p.m.).
In England with the Quakes:
GK: Joe Cannon, Andrew Weber, Mike Gracyk
D: Steve Beitashour, Bobby Burling, Jason Hernandez, Chris Leitch, Brandon McDonald, Ike Opara, Justin Morrow
MF: Arturo Alvarez, Bobby Convey, Ramiro Corrales, Simon Elliott, Joey Gjertsen, Andre Luiz, Antonio Robeiro, Brad Ring, Javier Robles, Ramon Sanchez
F: Quincy Amarikwa, Eduardo, Cornell Glen, Ryan Johnson, Chris Wondolowski


text:
In the week that the iPad launches in the UK, Apple has overtaken Microsoft to become the world's biggest tech company in terms of market value.
Apple is now valued at$222bn (£154bn) ahead of Microsoft's market value of $219bn.
The last time Apple was valued ahead of Microsoft was way back in 1989, in those days before the iPod put the company back on the map.
Ballmer and Jobs
When Steve Ballmer took over at Microsoft in January 2000 the company had a market capitalisation of $556bn.
When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in its market capitalisation value was $15.6bn.
TechRadar will be bringing you all the news on Apple's UK iPad launch this Friday, and we anticipate some big Apple news, including details on the next generation Apple iPhone, coming out of next month's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).


text:
At Dark Dorset we would like to wish our readers
A Happy New Year
|Janus Head grotesque
All Saint's Church, Dorchester
January was established as the first the first month of the year by the Roman Calendar. It was named after the god Janus, the god of beginning and transitions. As depicted on All Saint's Church, Dorchester, he had two faces which allowed him to look backwards at the old year, and the other looked forward to what would happen in the coming year.
It is the beginning of the new year, when most people reflect on the year before and practice the custom of making New Year resolutions, in which they commit themselves to better behaviour and healthier life choices.
Cream of the Well
The first water to be drawn from any spring-fed well on 'New Year's Day', 1st January, was believed to have special significance. It was called the 'Cream of the Well', and it was believed that who ever obtained it was certain to have a lucky year.
Girls were particularly fond of this custom, for the girl who managed to draw the Cream of the Well had the additional prize that she could expect to marry before twelve months were out. Since the Cream of the Well could only be drawn once, it was therefore customary for the person who claimed Cream of the Well to throw a little grass or flowers into the water, both as an offering to the resident well spirit and as a notification to the next to arrive that he or she had come too late.
Sometimes a girl would purposely leave behind her glove or hankerchief embroidered with her initials, as a statement that she had got there first.
New Year's Day Weather-lore
In his book 'Dorsetshire Folklore' published in 1922, John Symonds Udal wrote:
"It was from this source then, namely, a correspondent of the Dorset County Chronicle in December, 1891, that I am able to give the following item which being more extensive than mere " weather lore "—a subject which I deal with later — may claim, I think, to come under this chapter also.
It reads like a prophecy from Old Moore's Almanac or one of Mother Shipton's, and there is certainly an old-world savour about it, but I cannot give the actual source whence it was taken. It treats upon what we may expect should New Year's Day fall upon a Thursday.
" Winter and summer windie. A rainie harvest. Therefore we shall have overflowings; much fruit; plentie of honey; yet flesh shall be deare; cattel in general shall die; great troubles; warres."
* * * * *Extract below taken from the Chambers Book of Days January 1st 1864, details the traditions of New Year's Day.
New Year's Day Festivities
'Long ere the lingering dawn of that blithe morn
Which ushers in the year, the roosting cock,
Flapping his wings, repeats his larnun shrill;
But on that morn no busy flail obeys
His rousing call; no sounds but sounds of joy
Salute the year—the first-foot's entering step,
That sudden on the floor is welcome heard,
Ere blushing maids have braided up their hair;
The laugh, the hearty kiss, the good new year
Pronounced with honest warmth. In village, grange,
And borough town, the steaming flagon, borne
From house to house, elates the poor man's heart,
And makes him feel that life has still its joys.
The aged and the young, man, woman, child,
Unite in social glee; even stranger dogs,
Meeting with bristling back, soon lay aside
Their snarling aspect, and in sportive chase,
Excursive scour, or wallow in the snow.
With sober cheerfulness, the grandam eyes
Her offspring round her, all in health and peace;
And, thankful that she's spared to see this day
Return once more, breathes low a secret prayer,
That God would shed a blessing on their heads.'
As New-Year's Day, the first of January bears a prominent place in the popular calendar. It has ever been a custom among northern nations to see the old year out and the new one in, with the highest demonstrations of merriment and conviviality. To but a few does it seem to occur that the day is a memorandum of the subtraction of another year from the little sum of life; with the multitude, the top feeling is a desire to express good wishes for the next twelvemonths' experience of their friends, and be the subject of similar benevolence on the part of others, and to see this interchange of cordial feeling take place, as far as possible, in festive circumstances. It is seldom that an English family fails to sit up on the last night of the year till twelve o'clock, along with a few friends, to drink a happy New Year to each other over a cheerful glass. Very frequently, too, persons nearly related but living apart, dine with each other on this day, to keep alive and cultivate mutual good feeling. It cannot be doubted that a custom of this kind must tend to obliterate any shades of dissatisfaction or jealous anger, that may have arisen during the previous year, and send the kindred onward through the next with renewed esteem and regard. To the same good purpose works the old custom of giving little presents among friends on this day:
'The King of Light, father of aged Time,
Hath brought about that day which is the prime,
To the slow-gliding months, when every eye
Wears symptoms of a sober jollity.'
Charles Lamb had a strong appreciation of the social character of New-Year's Day. He remarks that no one of whatever rank can regard it with indifference. 'Of all sounds of all bolts,' says he, 'most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the old year. I never hear it without a gathering up of my mind to a concentration of all the images that have been diffused over the past twelvemonth; all I have done or suffered, performed or neglected, in that regretted time. I begin to know its worth as when a person dies. It takes a personal colour; nor was it a poetical flight in a contemporary, when he exclaimed:
"I saw the skirts of the departing year."'
One could wish that the genial Ella had added something in recommendation of resolutions of improvement of the year to come, for which Now-Year's Day is surely a most appropriate time. Every first of January that we arrive at, is an imaginary milestone on the turnpike track of human life: at once a resting-place for thought and meditation, and a starting point for fresh exertion in the performance of our journey. The man who does not at least propose to himself to be better this year than he was last, must be either very good or very bad indeed! And only to propose to be better, is something; if nothing else, it is an acknowledgment of our need to be so, which is the first step towards amendment. But, in fact, to propose to oneself to do well, is in some sort to do well, positively; for there is no such thing as a stationary point in human endeavours; he who is not worse today than he was yesterday, is better; and he who is not better, is worse.'
The merrymakings of New-Year's Eve and New-Year's Day are of very ancient date in England. The head of the house assembled his family around a bowl of spiced ale, comically called lamb's wool, from which ho drank their health; thou passed it to the rest, that they might drink too. The word that passed amongst them was the ancient Saxon phrase, Wass hael; that is, To your health. Hence this came to be recognised as the Wassail or Wassel Bowl. The poorer class of people carried a bowl adorned with ribbons round the neighbourhood, begging for something wherewith to obtain the means of filling it, that they too might enjoy wassail as well as the rich. In their compotations, they had songs suitable to the occasion, of which a Gloucestershire example has been preserved:
Wassail! wassail! over the town,
Our toast it is white, our ale it is brown:
Our bowl it is made of the maplin tree,
We be good fellows all; I drink to thee.
Here's to [The name of some horse] and to his right ear,
God send our maister a happy New Year;
A happy New Year as e'er he did see—
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
Here's to [The name of another horse], and to his right eye,
God send our mistress a good Christmas pie
A good Christmas pie as e'er I did see—
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
Here's to Filpail, and her long tail,
God send our measter us never may fail
Of a cup of good beer; I pray you draw near,
And then you shall hear our jolly wassail.
Be here any maids, I suppose here be some;
Sure they will not let young men stand on the cold stone;
Sing hey 0 maids, come troll back the pin,
And the fairest maid in the house, let us all in.
Come, butler, come bring us a bowl of the best:
I hope your soul in heaven may rest:
But if you do bring us a bowl of the small,
Then down fall butler, bowl, and all.'
What follows is an example apparently in use amongst children:
Here we come a wassailing,
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a wandering,
So fair to be seen.
Chorus. Love and joy come to you,
And to your wassel too,
And God send you a happy New Year,
A New Year,
And God send you a happy New Year!
Our wassel cup is made of rosemary-tree,
So is your beer of the best barley.
We are not daily beggars,
That beg from door to door;
But we are neighbours' children,
Whom you have seen before.
Call up the butler of this house,
Put on his golden ring,
Let him bring us up a glass of beer
And the better we shall sing.
We have got a little purse,
Made of stretching leather skin,
We want a little of your money
To line it well within.
Bring us out a table,
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a mouldy cheese,
And some of your Christmas loaf.
God bless the master of this house,
Likewise the mistress too,
And all the little children,
That round the table go!
Good master and mistress,
While you're sitting by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children,
Who are wandering in the mire.
Chorus. Love and joy come to you, &c.
The custom of wassail at the New Year was kept up in the monasteries as well as in private houses. In front of the abbot, at the upper end of the refectory table, was placed the mighty bowl styled in their language Poculum Caritatis, and from it the superior drank to all, and all drank in succession to each other. The corporation feasts of London still preserve a custom that affords a reflex of that of the wassail bowl. A double-handled flagon full of sweetened and spiced wine being handed to the master, or other person presiding, he drinks standing to the general health, as announced by the toastmaster; then passes it to his neighbour on the left hand, who drinks standing to his next neighbour, also standing, and so on it goes, till all have drunk. Such is the well-known ceremony of the Loviny Cup.
[Receipt for Making the Wassailbowl - Simmer a small quantity of the following spices in a teacupful of water, viz.:—Cardamums, cloves, nutmeg, mace, ginger, cinnamon, and coriander. When done, put the spice to two, four, or six bottles of port, sherry, or madeira, with one pound and a half of fine loaf sugar (pounded) to four bottles, and set all on the fire in a clean bright saucepan; meanwhile, have yolks of 12 and the whites of 6 eggs well whisked up in it. Then, when the spiced and sugared wine is a little warm, take out one teacupful; and so on for three or four cups; after which, when it boils, add the whole of the remainder, pouring it in gradually, and stirring it briskly all the time, so as to froth it. The moment a fine froth is obtained, toss in 12 fine soft roasted apples, and send it up hot. Spices for each bottle of wine:—10 grains of mace, 46 grains of cloves, 37 grains of cardamums, 28 grains of cinnamon, 12 grains of nutmeg, 48 grains of ginger, 49 grains of coriander seeds.—Mark Lane Express.]
Till very few years ago in Scotland, the custom of the wassail bowl at the passing away of the old year might he said to be still in comparative vigour. On the approach of twelve o'clock, a hot pint was prepared—that is, a kettle or flagon full of warm, spiced, and sweetened ale, with an infusion of spirits. When the clock had struck the knell of the departed year, each member of the family drank of this mixture 'A good health and a happy New Year and many of them' to all the rest, with a general hand-shaking, and perhaps a dance round the table, with the addition of a song to the tune of Hey tuttie taitic:
'Weel may we a' be,
Ill may we never see,
Here's to the king
And the gude companie!' &c.
The elders of the family would then most probably sally out, with the hot kettle, and bearing also a competent provision of buns and short-bread, or bread and cheese, with the design of visiting their neighbours, and interchanging with them the same cordial greetings. If they met by the way another party similarly bent, whom they knew, they would stop and give and take sips from their respective kettles. Reaching the friend's house, they would enter with vociferous good wishes, and soon send the kettle a-circulating. If they were the first to enter the house since twelve o'clock, they were deemed as the first-foot; and, as such, it was most important, for luck to the family in the coming year, that they should make their entry, not empty-handed, but with their hands full of cakes and bread and cheese; of which, on the other hand, civility demanded that each individual in the house should partake.
To such an extent did this custom prevail in Edinburgh in the recollection of persons still living, that, according to their account, the principal streets were more thronged between twelve and one in the morning than they usually were at midday. Much innocent mirth prevailed, and mutual good feelings were largely promoted. An unlucky circumstance, which took place on the 1st January of 1812, proved the means of nearly extinguishing the custom. A small party of reckless boys formed the design of turning the innocent festivities of firstfootinq to account for purposes of plunder. They Kept their counsel well. No sooner had the people come abroad on the principal thoroughfares of the Old Town, than these youths sallied out in small bands, and commenced the business which they had undertaken.
Their previous agreement was, to look out for the white neckcloths,—such being the best mark by which they could distinguish in the dark individuals likely to carry any property worthy of being taken. A great number of gentlemen were thus spoiled of their watches and other valuables. The least resistance was resented by the most brutal maltreatment. A policeman, and a young man of the rank of a clerk in Leith, died of the injuries they had received. An affair so singular, so uncharacteristic of the people among whom it happened, produced a widespread and lasting feeling of surprise. The outrage was expiated by the execution of three of the youthful rioters on the chief scone of their wickedness; but from that time, it was observed that the old custom of going about with the hot pint—the ancient wassail —fell off.
A gentleman of Preston has communicated to a popular publication that for many years past he has been in the habit of calling on a friend, an aged lady, at an early hour of New-Year's Day, being by her own desire, as he is a fair-complexioned person, and therefore assumed to be of good omen for the events of the year. On one occasion, he was prevented from attending to his old friend's request, and her first caller proved to be a dark-complexioned man; in consequence of which there came that year sickness, trouble, and commercial disaster.
In the parish of Berlen, near Snodland, in the county of Kent, are the remains of the old mansion of Groves, originally the property of a family named Hawks. On part of this house being pulled down in the latter part of the eighteenth century, there was found an oak beam supporting the chimney, which presented an antique carving exactly represented in the engraving at the head of this article. The words Wass hell and Drinc hello leave no doubt that the bowl in the centre was a representation of the wassail bowl of the time when the house was built, probably the sixteenth century. The two birds on the bowl are hawks—an allusion to the name of the family which originally possessed the mansion.
"The wassail bowle,' says Warton, 'is Shakespeare's Gossip's Bowl in the Midsummer Night's Dream. The composition was ale, nutmeg, sugar, toast, and roasted crabs or apples.' The word is interpreted by Verstegan as wase hale—that is, grow or become well. It came in time to signify festivity in general, and that of rather an intemperate kind. A wassail candle was a largo candle used at feasts.
There was in Scotland a first footing independent of the hot pint. It was a time for some youthful friend of the family to steal to the door, in the hope of meeting there the young maiden of his fancy, and obtaining the privilege of a kiss, as her first-foot. Great was the disappointment on his part, and great the joking among the family, if through accident or plan, some half-withered aunt or ancient grand-dame came to receive him instead of the blooming Jenny.
It may safely be said that New-Year's Day has hitherto been observed in Scotland with. a heartiness nowhere surpassed. It almost appears as if. by a sort of antagonism to the general gravity of the people, they were impelled to break out in a half-mad merriment on this day. Every face was bright with smiles; every hand ready with the grasp of friendship. All stiffness arising from age, profession, and rank, gave way. The soberest felt entitled to take a license on that special day. Reunions of relatives very generally took place over the festive board, and thus many little family differences were obliterated. At the pre-sent time, the ancient practices are somewhat decayed; yet the First of January is far from being reduced to the level of other days.
A grotesque manorial custom is described as being kept up in the reign of Charles II, in connection with Hilton in Staffordshire. There existed in that house a hollow brass image, about a foot high, representing a man kneeling in an indecorous posture. It was known all over the country as Jack of Hilton. There were two apertures, one very small at the mouth, another about two-thirds of an inch in diameter at the back, and the interior would hold rather more than four pints of water, 'which, when sot to a strong fire, evaporates after the same manner as in an Æolipile, and vents itself at the mouth in a constant blast, blowing the fire so strongly that it is very audible, and makes a sensible impression in that part of the fire where the blast lights.'
Now the custom was this. An obligation lay upon the lord of the adjacent manor of Essington, every New-Year's Day, to bring a goose to Hilton, and drive it three times round the hall fire, which Jack of Hilton was all the time blowing by the discharge of his steam. He was then to carry the bird into the kitchen and deliver it to the cook; and when it was dressed, he was further to carry it in a dish to the table of his lord paramount, the lord of Hilton, receiving in return a dish of meat for his own mess.
At Coventry, if not in other places throughout England, it is customary to eat what are called God-cakes on New-Year's Day. They are of a triangular shape, of about half an inch thick, and filled with a kind of mince-meat. There are halfpenny ones cried through the street; but others of much greater price--even it is said to the value of a pound—are used by the upper classes.
New-Years Gifts
The custom of making presents on New-Year's Day has, as far as regards the intercourse of the adult population, become almost if not entirely obsolete. Presents are generally pleasant to the receiver on any day of the year, and are still made, but not on this day especially. The practice on New-Year's Day is now limited to gifts made by parents to their children, or by the elder collateral members of a family to the younger; but the old custom, which has been gradually, like the drinking of healths, falling into disuse in England, is still in full force in France, as will presently be more particularly adverted to.
The practice of making presents on New-Year's Day was, no doubt, derived from the Romans. Suetonius and Tacitus both mention it. Claudius prohibited demanding presents except on this day. rand, in his Popular Antiquities, observes, on the authority of Bishop Stillingfleet, that the Saxons kept the festival of the New Year with more than ordinary feasting and jollity, and with the presenting of New-Year's gifts to each other. Fosbroke notices the continuation of the practice during the middle ages; and Ellis, in his additions to Brand, quotes Matthew Paris to shew that Henry III extorted New-Year's gifts from his subjects.
The New-Year's gifts presented by individuals to each other were suited to sex, rank, situation, and circumstances. From Bishop Hall's Satires (1598), it appears that the usual gifts of tenants in the country to their landlords was a capon; and Cowley, addressing the same class of society, says:
"When with low legs and in an humble guise
Ye offered up a capon-sacrifice
Unto his worship at the New-Year's tide.'
Ben Johnson, in his Masque of Christmas, among other characters introduces 'New-Year's Gift in a blue coat, serving-man like, with an orange, and a sprig of rosemary on his head, his hat full of brooches, with a collar of gingerbread, his torch-bearer carrying a marchpane, with a bottle of wine on either arm.' An orange stuck with cloves was a common present, and is explained by Lupton, who says that the flavour of wine is improved, and the wine itself preserved from mouldiness, by an orange or lemon stuck with cloves being hung within the vessel, so as not to touch the liquor.
Gloves were customary New-Year's gifts. They were formerly a more expensive article than they are at present, and occasionally a sum of money was given instead, which was called 'glove-money: Presents were of course made to persons in authority to secure favour, and too often were accepted by magistrates and judges. Sir Thomas More having, as lord chancellor, decided a cause in favour of a lady with the unattractive name of Croaker, on time ensuing New-Year's Day she sent him a pair of gloves with forty of the gold coins called an angel in them. Sir Thomas returned the gold with the following note: 'Mistress, since it were against good manners to refuse your New-Year's gift, I am content to take your gloves, but as for the lining I utterly refuse it.'
When pins were first invented and brought into use about the beginning of the sixteenth century, they were a New-Year's gift very acceptable to ladies, and money given for the purchase of them was called 'pin-money,' an expression which has been extended to a sum of money secured by a husband on his marriage for the private expenses of his wife. Pins made of metal, in their present form, must have been in use some time previous to 1543, in which year a statute was passed (35 Hen. VIII. c. 6), entitled 'An Acte for the true making of Pynnes,' in which it was enacted that the price charged should not exceed 6s. 8d. a thousand. Pins were previously made of boxwood, bone, and silver, for the richer classes; those used by the poor were of common wood—in fact, skewers.
The custom of presenting New-Year's gifts to the sovereigns of England may be traced back to the time of Henry VI. In Rymer's Faedera, vol. x. p. 387, a list is given of gifts received by the king between Christmas Day and February 4, 1428, consisting of sums of 40s., 20s., 13s. 4d., 10s., 6s. 8d., and 3s. 4d.
A manuscript roll of the public revenue of the fifth year of manuscript roll of the public revenue of the fifth year of Edward VI has an entry of rewards given on New-Year's Day to the king's officers and servants, amounting to £155, 5s., and also of sums given to the servants of those who presented New-Year's gifts to the king.
A similar roll has been preserved of the reign of Philip and Mary. The Lord Cardinal Pole gave a 'saulte,' with a cover of silver and gilt, having a stone therein much enamelled of the story of Job; and received a pair of gilt silver pots, weighing 1433/4 ounces. The queen's sister, the Lady Elizabeth, gave the fore part of a kyrtell, with a pair of sleeves of cloth of silver, richly embroidered over with Venice silver, and rayed with silver and black silk; and received three gilt silver bowls, weighing 132 ounces. Other gifts were—a sacrament cloth; a cup of crystal; a lute in a case, covered with black silk and gold, with two little round tables, the one of the phisnamy of the emperor and the king's majesty, the other of the king of Bohemia and his wife. Other gifts consisted of hosen of Garnsey-making, fruits, sugar-loaves, gloves, Turkey hens, a fat goose and capon, two swans, two fat oxen, conserves, rose-water, and other articles.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the custom of presenting Now-Year's gifts to the sovereign was carried to an extravagant height. The queen delighted in gorgeous dresses, in jewellery, in all. kinds of ornaments for her person and palaces, and in purses filled with gold coin. The gifts regularly presented to her were of great value. An exact and descriptive inventory of them was made every year on a roll, which was signed by the queen herself, and by the proper officers. Nichols, in his Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, has given an accurate transcript of five of these rolls. The presents were made by the great officers of state, peers and peeresses, bishops, knights and their ladies, gentlemen and gentlewomen, physicians, apothecaries, and others of lower grade, down to her majesty's dustman. The presents consisted of sums of money, costly articles of ornament for the queen's person or apartments, caskets studded with precious stones, valuable necklaces, bracelets, gowns, embroidered mantles, smocks, petticoats, looking-glasses, fans, silk stockings, and a great variety of other articles.
Howell, in his History of the World, mentions that 'Queen Elizabeth, in 1561, was presented with a pair of black silk knit stockings by her silk-woman, Mrs. Montague, and thence-forth she never wore cloth hose any more.' The value of the gifts in each year cannot be ascertained, but some estimate may be made of it from the presents of gilt plate which were in all instances given in return by the queen; an exact account having been entered on the roll of the weight of the plate which each individual received in return for his gift. The total weight in 1577-8 amounted to 5882 ounces. The largest sum of money given by any temporal lord was £20; but the Archbishop of Canterbury gave £40, the Archbishop of York £30, and other spiritual lords £20 or £10. The total amount in the year 1561-2 of money gifts was £1262, 11s. 8d. The queen's wardrobe and jewellery must have been principally supplied from her New-Year's gifts.
The Earl of Leicester's New-Year's gifts exceeded those of any other nobleman in costliness and elaborate workmanship. The description of the gift of 1571-2 may be given as a specimen:
'One armlet, or shakell of gold, all over fairely garnished with rubyes and dyamondes, haveing in the closing thearof a clocke, and in the fore part of the same a fayre lozengie dyamonde without a foyle, hanging thearat a round juell fully garnished with dyamondes, and perle pendant, weying 11 oz. qu. dim., and farthing golde weight: in a case of purple vellate all over embranderid with Venice golde, and lyned with greeve vellat.'
In the reign of James I the money gifts seem to have been continued for some time, but the ornamental articles presented appear to have been few and of small value. In January 1601, Sir Dudley Carleton, in a letter to Mr. Winwood, observes:
'New-Year's Day passed without any solemnity, and the accustomed present of the purse and gold was hard to be had without asking.'
Mr. Nichols, in a note on this passage, observes:
'During the reigns of King Edward VI., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, the ceremony of giving and receiving New-Year's gifts at Court, which had long before been customary, was never omitted, and it was continued at least in the early years of King James; but I have never met with a roll of those gifts similar to the several specimens of them in the Progresses of Queen Elizabeth.'
He afterwards, however, met with such a roll, which he has copied, and in a note attached to the commencement of the roll, be makes the following remarks:
'Since the note in that page [471 of vol. i., Progresses of James I] was printed, the roll here accurately transcribed has been purchased by the trustees of the British Museum, from Mr. Rodd, book-seller of Great Newport Street, in whose catalogue for 1824 it is mentioned. It is above ten feet in length; and, like the five printed in Queen Elizabeth's "Progresses," exhibits the gifts to the king on one side, and those from his majesty on the other, both sides being signed by the royal hand at top and bottom. The gifts certainly cannot compete in point of curiosity with those of either Queen Mary's or Queen Elizabeth's reign. Instead of curious articles of dress, rich jewels, &c., nothing was given by the nobility but gold coin.'
The gifts from the nobility and prelates amounted altogether to £1293, 13s. 4d. The remainder were from per-sons who held some office about the king or court, and were generally articles of small value. The Duke of Lennox and the Archbishop of Canterbury gave each £40; all other temporal lords, £20 or E10; and the other spiritual lords, £30, £20, £13, 6s. 8d., or £10. The Duke of Lennox received 50 ounces of plate, the Arch-bishop of Canterbury 55 ounces; those who gave £20 received about 30 ounces, and for smaller sums the return-gift was in a similar proportion.
No rolls, nor indeed any notices, seem to have been preserved of New-Year's gifts presented to Charles I., though probably there were such. The custom, no doubt, ceased entirely during the Commonwealth, and was never afterwards revived, at least to any extent worthy of notice. Mr. Nichols mentions that the last remains of the custom at court consisted in placing a crown-piece under the plate of each of the chaplains in waiting on New-Year's Day, and that this custom had ceased early in the nineteenth century.
There is a pleasant story of a New-Year's gift in the reign of King Charles I, in which the court jester, Archy Armstrong, figures as for once not the maker, but the victim of a jest. Coming on that morn to a nobleman to bid him good-morrow, Archy received a few gold pieces; which, however, falling short of his expectations in amount, he shook discontentedly in his hand, muttering that they were too light. The donor said: 'Prithee, then, Archy, let me see them again; and, by the way, there is one of them which I would be loth to part with.' Archy, expecting to get a larger gift, returned the pieces to his lordship, who put them in his pocket, with the remark: 'I once gave my money into the hands of a fool, who had not the wit to keep it.'—Banquet of Jests, 1634
It cannot be said that the custom of giving presents to superiors was a very rational one: one can even imagine it to have been something rather oppressive— 'a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance.' Yet Robert Herrick seems to have found no difficulty in bringing the smiles of his cheerful muse to bear upon it. It must be admitted, indeed, that the author of the Hesperides made his poem the gift. Thus it is he addresses Sir Simon Steward in:
'A jolly
Verse, crowned with ivy and with holly;
That tells of winter's tales and mirth,
That milkmaids make about the hearth;
Of Christmas' sports, the wassail howl,
That's tost up after fox-i'-th'-hole;
Of blind-man-buff, and of the care
That young men have to shoe the mare;
Of twelfth-tide cakes, of pease and beaus,
Wherewith ye make those merry scenes;
Of crackling laurel, which fore-sounds
A plenteous harvest to your grounds;
Of those, and each like things, for shift,
We send, instead of New Year's gift.
Read then, and when your faces shine
With buxom meat and cap'ring wine,
Remember us in cups full crown'd,
And let our city-health go round.
Then, as ye sit about your embers,
Call not to mind the fled Decembers;
But think on these, that are t' appear
As daughters to the instant year;
And to the bagpipes all address,
Till sleep take place of weariness.
And thus throughout, with Christmas plays,
Frolic the full twelve holidays.'
The custom of giving of presents among relatives and friends is much declined in England, but is still kept up with surprising vigor in Paris, where the day is especially recognized from this circumstance as Le Jour d' Etrennes. Parents then bestow portions on their children, brothers on their sisters, and husbands make settlements on their wives. The mere externals of the day, as observed in Paris, are of a striking character: they were described as follows in an English journal, as observed in the year 1824, while as yet the restored Bourbon reigned in France: 'Carriages,' says this writer, 'may be seen rolling through the streets with cargoes of bon-bons, souvenirs, and the variety of etceteras with which little children and grown up children are bribed into good humour; and here and there pastrycooks are to be met with, carrying upon boards enormous temples, pagodas, churches, and playhouses, made of fine flour and sugar, and the embellishments which render French pastry so inviting. But there is one street in Paris to which a New-Year's Day is a whole year's fortune—this is the Rue des Lombards, where the wholesale confectioners reside; for in Paris every trade and profession has its peculiar quarter. For several days preceding the 1st of January, this street is completely blocked up by carts and wagons laden with cases of sweetmeats for the provinces. These are of every form and description which the most singular fancy could imagine; bunches of carrots, green peas, hoots and shoes, lobsters and crabs, hats, books, musical instruments, gridirons, frying-pans, and sauce-pans; all made of sugar, and coloured to imitate reality, and all made with a hollow within to hold the bon-bons.
The most prevailing device is what is called a cornet; that is, a little cone ornamented in different ways, with a bag to draw over the large end, and close it up. In these things, the prices of which vary from one franc (tenpenee) to fifty, the bon-bons are presented by those who choose to be at the expense of them, and by those who do not, they are only wrapped in a piece of paper; but bon-bons, in some way or other, must be presented. It would not, perhaps, be an exaggeration to state that the amount expended for presents on New-Year's Day in Paris, for sweet-meats alone, exceeds 500,000 francs, or £20,000 sterling. Jewellery is also sold to a very large amount, and the fancy articles exported in the first week of the year to England and other countries, is computed at one-fourth of the sale during the twelvemonths. In Paris, it is by no means uncommon for a man of 8000 or 10,000 francs a year, to make presents on New-Year's Day which cost him a fifteenth part of his income. No person able to give must on this day pay a visit empty-handed.
Everybody accepts, and every man gives according to the means which he possesses. Females alone are excepted from the charge of giving. A pretty woman, respectably connected, may reckon her New-Year's presents at something considerable. Gowns, jewellery, gloves, stockings, and artificial flowers fill her drawing-room: for in Paris it is a custom to display all the gifts, in order to excite emulation, and to obtain as much as possible. At the palace, the New-Year's Day is a complete jour de fete. Every branch of the royal family is then expected to make handsome presents to the king. For the six months preceding January 1824, the female branches were busily occupied in preparing presents of their own manufacture, which would fill at least two common-sized wagons.
The Duchess de Berri painted an entire room of japanned panels, to be set up in the palace, and the Duchess of Orleans prepared an elegant screen. An English gentleman, who was admitted suddenly into the presence of the Duchess de Berri two months before, found her and three of her maids of honour, lying on the carpet, painting the legs of a set of chairs, which were intended for the king. The day commences with the Parisians, at an early hour, by the interchange of their visits and bon-bons. The nearest relations are visited first, until the furthest in blood have had their calls; then friends and acquaintances. The conflict to anticipate each other's calls, occasions the most agreeable and whimsical scenes among these proficients in polite attentions. In these visits, and in gossiping at the confectioners' shops, which are the great lounge for the occasion, the morning of New-Year's Day is passed; a dinner is given by some member of the family to all the rest, and the evening concludes, like Christmas Day, with cards, dancing, or any other amusement that may be preferred.'


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Happy Birthday Rae Rae lovey.
You are so precious to me, your daddy, and your sisters.
Your laughter is as big as life.
I have enough stories in just these three short years to fill up an entire lifetime.
Like the time we wiped your hiney a few days ago and there was a rooster feather in your crack. We are constantly thanking the Lord for the reminder to laugh through you.
Our house is quiet when you are sleeping and animated when you awake.
The first moments of your day are spent running.
Thankfulness is constantly echoed in your scratchy, raspy, two year old voice. Except you say,"Thank Em."
The free spirit the Lord has given you I pray is one day tamed by God alone and used for His glory. The things He will do through you and the stories you will one day tell…. makes this mama very scared to even think about.
You see no boundaries.
"Slow down lovey," are the words I most frequently speak to you. But, one day I pray that you run full speed right into the arms of Jesus and go about your faith in reckless abandon.
The possibilities are endless, sweet girl, once the Lord gets a hold of your soul.
Oh, how I beg and plead for His mercy, favor, and compassion to fall on you and the life that is ahead of you.
We love you so much and are thankful the Lord has chosen us (and thought we had enough energy) to parent you.
Momma, Daddy, and the sisters


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According to Mary Jo Foley over at ZDNet blogs, Michael Sievert, corporate vice president for Windows Product Marketing, will be moving on from Microsoft. Word has it that his departure will be officially announced in another few weeks.
Sievert was hired by Microsoft in March 2005 for the "marketing, product management and product planning for the Windows Client" and was in charge of the worldwide introduction of Windows Vista. An estimated $500 million in marketing has been spent on Vista—Microsoft's latest flagship operating system.
Sievert came with high accolades, having served for three years as executive vice president and chief marketing officer at AT&T Wireless. He was also twice named by Advertising Age magazine as one of the 25 most influential people in marketing.
In view of the lukewarm response to Windows Vista, however, it is hard not to infer that Sievert is moving out as a direct result. Despite some 100 million copies of Windows Vista sold, many companies are resisting an enterprise rollout of Vista in favor of waiting for SP1, which was just released to manufacturing (RTM) earlier this week. SP1 will be generally available from mid-March onwards.
In fact, CEO Steve Ballmer admitted that more marketing is needed for Vista when he told financial analysts earlier this week that, "We're going to have to invest more than we ever have in consumer excitement." Marketing aside, the poor response to Vista is likely due to issues that proved to be deal-killers for some affected users. Our experience with Vista SP1 builds tells us that many of these initial problems will be addressed in SP1.
Just how much better will Vista SP1 do? Only time will tell.


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